Window-shade adjuster.



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WINDW SHADE ADJUSTEB. y

(Appuwion alga nee. s, 1900.

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H. M. STURGS."

WWW'SHADE ADJUSTER.

(Application Bled Dec. 3, l 900.) (M o M o d e I me bams evans co., Puma-uma., wnsmnfsfou. D. c

H. M. STURGIS.

WINDOW .SHADE ADJUSTER..

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No. 670,460. Patented mr. 2s, |901.

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Nirnn STATES "ATENT was@ HERBERT M. STURGIS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOMATIC DROP FIXTURE COMPANY, OF ILLINOIS.

WINDOW-.SHADE ADJUSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 6701460, dated March 26, 1901- Applination tiled December 3, 1900i. Serial No. 38,453. KNO mmh-,1J

To @ZZ whom, it ufl/ty concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT M. STUReIs, of Kansas City, county of Jackson, and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Shade Adjusters, of which the following is a specification. 4

This invention relates toimprovements in window-shade adjusters, and more particularly to that class of such devices in which the roller of the shade or curtain is suspended or otherwise supported in vertically-adj ustable relation to the window-frame, Whereby the shade may be bodily adjusted to screen either the top or the bottom or any intermediate portion of the window; and one of the chief advantages of my invention resides in the fact that its several p'arts or elements are so constructed as to adapt it to be applied either to the inner portion or to the outer face of the window frame or casing, asv may be found most convenient or desirable.

My invention in its preferred form is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a window frame and a shade, showing my improved adjusting device applied thereto, the same being applied to the inner edge or portion of the Window-frame. Figs. 2 and 3 are right and left edge views of the same on the lines 2 2 and 3 3, respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a plan View, enlarged, of the bracket which carries the shade-supporting drum and its operating and controlling mechanism. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged details of several of the elements of my device. Fig. 9 is an elevation similar to Fig. 1, showing the device applied to the outer face of the Windowframe. Figs. 10 and 11 are right and left edge views of the same, and Fig. 12 is an enlarged detail similar to Fig. 7 and showing a modification` in the form and construction of the pawl-operating latch.

Referring to the drawings in detail and considering first thearrangement shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive, 1 designates the window-frame, and 2 a shade or curtain applied thereto. 3 designates the ordinary curtainroller, which is suspended by means of cords 4 and 5, respectively, from a shade supporting and operating device (designated as a whole by the numeral o') located at the top of the Window-frame and preferably centrally thereof, and supported and operated in the manner hereinafter described.

Secured to the under side or inner portion of the top member of the Window-frame is a bracket 7, in the depending ends of which is secured a shaft or spindle 8. The latter is removably secured in Said bracket against rotation by means of a flattened end 9, which engages a slot 10, formed in one of the ends 0f the bracket 7, as' plainly shown in Fig. 6. On said spindle 8 is loosely mounted a drum 1'1, to which are secured and on which are adapted to be wound in' separate single horizontal coils, as shown, the curtain-supporting cords 4 and 5 and also the operating-cord 12. The drum 11, as will be seen from the drawings, is somewhat shorter than its supportingspindle 8, and this is for the purpose of permitting a longitudinal or endwise movement of said drum upon its spindle at the same time that the drum is rotating upon the latter, as will be more particularly brought out in the description of the operation of the device.` As a convenient means for securing the upper ends ofthe several cords to said drum, the ends of which are closed, I provide in the surface of said drum a series of apertures 13 of a size which will permit the cords to be threaded therethrough, and diametrically opposite on the drum I form a similar but larger series of apertures 14, as best shown in Fig. 8. In securing the cord to the drum the end of the former is threaded through the holes 13 and 14. The end ofthe cord is then knotted and drawn back within the drum, the knot being of a size which permits it to pass freely through the aperture 14, but which cannot be drawn through the opposite aperturelS. The curtain-supporting cords 4 and 5 thus secured to the drum 11 are passed around a pair of horizontally-disposed guiding-sheaves 15 and 16, respectively mounted in the bracket 7, and are passed thence overrvertical sheaves 17 and 18, respectively mounted in suitable brackets 19 and 20, secured to the upper corners of the window-frame, and are then secured at their lower ends to the bearing-plates IOO - universally adjustable to any desired height relatively to the window-frame, it is necessary to provide means for holding the drum 1l fixed against rotation on its spindle at any desired point. The means which I prefer to employ for this purpose will now be described. On the drum 11, preferably at one end thereof, as shown, is secured a ratchet-wheel 23, which is concentric with the axis of the spindle 8. On a shaft or spindle 24 mounted in the end piece of the bracket 7 and in a depending lug or ear 25 extending from the top of said bracket is mounted a wide-faced pawl 26, the nose of which is adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 23 at any position of the latter on the spindle 8. As a means for operating said pawl and causing it to release the ratchet-wheel when desired I employ a latch 27, pivoted at its upper end on an extension of the shaft or spindle 24 and having its lower end 'bent inwardly at right angles to its shank and an eye 28 formed therethrough. Through this eye 28 in the latch 27 is passed the operating-cord 12, as plainly shown in Figs. 5 and 7. In connection with adjustable Window-shades of this type it has been found desirable, if not necessary, to provide some means for maintaining the shade-roller constantly in close proximity to the window-frame. The means which I prefer to employ for this purpose are as follows: 29 designates a stationary wire cord the upper end of which may be secured to an arm 30, formed on the sheave-bracket 19, and the lower end of which is secured in the upper end of a screw-threaded pin 3l, carried by a bracket 32 at the lower left-hand corner of the window-frame. The pin 31 can be adjusted to vary the tension of the wire 29 and maintain the latter constantly taut by means of a wing-nut 33 on its lower end, as shown in Fig. 1. The bearing-plate 21,which carries the left-hand end of the shade-roller, is constructed and adapted to travel over the wire 29 in the following manner: Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the plate 21 has upper and lower horizontal extensions, which are bent or curled inwardly, thereby forming longitudinal eyes 34, through which the wire 29 is threaded, and on the outer edge or face of said plate is formed, integrally or otherwise, a loop or socket 35, adapted to receive the tiatteued end of the shade-roller and lock the latter against rotation.

Referring now to the application of the deerofieo vice as shown in Figs. 9 to 12, inclusive, it will be observed that the principal member of the device-the bracket7aud its contained parts-is secured to the outer front face of the top memberof the window-casing instead of to the inner or under side thereof, as in Fig. 1, the cornerbrackets 19, 20, and being also similarly disposed with reference to the window-frame. This arrangement involves a disposition of the bracket 7 and its contained parts at right angles to their disposition, as shown in Fig. le-that is to say, the bracket is turned on its longitudinal axis through a quarter-circle, and parts which in Fig. 1 appeared horizontal, as the guidingsheaves 15 and 16,become vertically disposed, while the pawl 26 and latch 27, which in Fig. l hung vertically, in Figs. S) to 12 are horizontally disposed. This arrangement also involves the positioning of the brackets 19, 20, and 32 at right angles, with respect to their vertical planes, to their positions as shown in. Figs. 1, 2, and In order to permit this, the fork in which the sheave is journaled is pivotally suspended from or swiveled in the upper horizontal arm of the bracket, so that the sheave may be adjusted to any desired angle with relation to its supporting-bracket.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the device is applied and that the shade is in the position as shown in Fig. 1 and that it is desired to elevate the shade, the operator pulls downwardly upon the operating-cord 12. This operation rotates the drum 11 in a direction to unwind the operating-cord 12, and by reason of the fact that the shade-supporting cords 4 and 5 are oppositely Wound upon said drum relatively to the cord 12 the said shade-supporting cords t and 5 will be simultaneously wound up on the drum, thereby raising the shade and its roller bodily. When the latter has been raised the desired distance, the operatorceases to pull upon the cord l2, the pawl 26 drops into engagement with one of the teeth ou the ratchet-wheel 23, and the drum 1l is thereby locked against rotation in a direction which will permit the curtain to fall. Assuming now that the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1 and that it is desired to lower instead of raise the shade, the operator pulls outwardly upon the cord 12, which action, through the latch 27, releases the pawl 26 from engagement with the ratchet-wheel 23 and allows the drum 11 to be rotated in a direction opposite to that hereinbefore described. The drum is then rotated-by the weight of the shade and its roller, during which operation the supporting-cords It and 5 are unwound from the drum and the operating-cord 12 is wound thereon. When the shade has been dropped the desired distance, the operator releases the cord 12, which allows the pawl 26 to fall backinto engagement with the ratchet-wheel 23, and further rotation of the drum 11 is thereby stopped. During the rotation of the drum 11 in both directions the ceiling and uncoll- IOO IIO

ing of the several cords'thereupon, iu connection with the engagement of the cords 4 and 5 with the iXed sheaves 15 and 16, causes an endwise or longitudinal movement of the drum 11 upon its spindle in an obvious manner. In View of this peculiar operation of the drum the pawl 26 is made of sufficient width to engage the endwise traveling ratchetwheel 23 at any point between the limits of lits travel. When now the device is applied to the front orface of the window-frame,as shown in Figs. 9 to 12, the operation is in all respects like that hereinabove described; but in View of the fact that the pawl-operating latch 27 here lies horizontally instead of vertically it becomes necessary in order to operate the same by the cord 12 to provide an extension of said latch which shall engage said cord in a manner to effect the raising of the latch bysaid cord. For this purpose I employ a removable extension member 36, Fig. 12, one end of which is adapted to be secured to the free end of the latch 27 by a bolt 37 and nut 38 or in any other suitable manner and the opposite end of which is bent inwardly at right angles to its shank and provided with an eye 39 for the passage of the cord 12. The actuation ot' the cord 12 in the manner already described will thus elevate the horizontal member of the latch, and so lift the pawl 26 out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel. By reason of the fact that the left-hand bearing-plate 2l of the shade-roller has a sliding engagement with the wire 29 the shade and its roller are prevented from swinging outwardly away from the window-frame, being at all positions maintained in close relation to the face of the Window-frame.

The location of the cord-winding drum and its associated part-s is not limited to the top member of the window-frame, but may obviously be applied to the bottom or even the side mem bers by the simple addition of such cord-guiding sheaves as may be necessary to make effective the weight of the shade in rotating the drum in one direction.

My improved shade-adjuster, as hereinabove described, is simple in construction, efiicient in operation, and economical to manufacture by reason of the fact that nearly all the parts thereon, especially the numerous brackets, bearing-plates, dac., can be pressed or bent into the desired forms and shapes from commercial forms of sheet metal. I also'wish it to be understood that my present invention is not limited in its application to window shades or curtains, but may advantageously be employed in other relations-as, for instance, charts, display devices in stores, dto.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an adjusting mechanism for windowshades and analogous devices, the combination with a bracket adapted to be secured to the window or other casing and an endwisemovable drum rotatably journaled in said bracket, of a pair of cords at one end secured to and adapted to be wound upon said drum in separate single horizontal coils, a shaderoller or similar device, to the opposite ends of which the said cords are secured at their lower ends, means tor winding said cords upon said drum and means whereby said drum may be automatically stopped or released at any point of its rotation, substantially as described.

2. In an adjusting mechanism for windowshades and analogous devices, the combination with la bracket adapted to be secured to the window or other casing and an endwisemovable drum rotatably journaled in said bracket, of a pair of cords at their upper ends secured to said drum and adapted to be wound thereonin separate single horizontal coils, a shade-roller or similar device, to the ends of which said cords are secured at their lowerr ends, an operating-cord secured to said drum and adapted to be wound thereon in a direction opposite to that of the roller-supporting cords, and means actuated by said operatingcord whereby said drum may be automatically stopped or released at any point of its rotation, substantially as described.

3. In an adjusting mechanism for windowshades and analogous devices, the combination with a bracket adapted to be secured to the window-casing and an endwise-movable drum rotatably journaled in said bracket, of a pair of cords secured to said drum and adapted to be wound thereon in separate single horizontal. coils, a shade-carrying roller, to the ends of which the lower ends of said cords are secured, a ratchet-wheel formed on one head of said drum, a pawl pivoted in said drum carrying bracket, an operatingcord adapted to be wound upon said drum in a direction opposite to that of said shade-supporting cords, and means whereby said operating-cord may eiect the release of said pawl, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the top member of the window-casing, a fixed horizontally-disposed spindle removably secured therein, an endWise-movable drum rotatably mounted on said spindle, a pair oi" shade-supportingcords secured at their upper ends to said drum and adapted to be wound thereon in separate single horizontal coils, a pair of fixed horizontal sheaves mounted in said bracket and forming guides for said shade-supporting cords, an operatingcord secured at its upper end in said drum and adapted to be wound thereon in a direction opposite to that of said shade-supporting cords, and mechanism mounted in said bracket adapted to control the rotation of said drum, said mechanism being actuated by said operating-cord, substantially as described.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bracket adapted to be secured to the top mem ber of the window-casing, a `horizontal non-rotatable spindle re- IOO IIO

IZO

movably secured in said bracket, an endwisemovable drum rotatably journaled on said spindle, shade-supporting cords secured to said drum and adapted to be Wound and un- Wound thereon in raising and lowering the shade, respectively, a ratchet-Wheel `formed on one head of said drum, a pawl pivoted in said drinn-carrying bracket, a latch pivoted on the spindle of said pawl, and an operatingcord secured to said drum and adapted to be Wound thereon in a direction opposite to that of said shade-supporting cords, said operat ing-cord being in operative engagement with said latch, whereby through the latter it controls the engagement ot' the pawl with the ratchet-wheel andV thereby governs the rotation of the drum, substantially as described.

6. In an adjusting mechanism forwindowshades and analogous devices, the combina- 'tion with a Winding-drum adapted to receive the shade-supporting cords and the operating;- cord, of a supportirig-bracket therefor and suitable operatinggn and controlling mechanism carried by said bracket, the parts being' so constructed and arranged as to permit the device to be operatively applied to either the inner or front face of a member of the Window or other casing, substantiallyT as described.

7. In an adjusting mechanism for Windowshades, the combination with a corn er-braclcet having` a cord-guiding sheave or pulley swiveled in its horizontal member, so as to enable said bracket to be applied to either the inner or front face of a memberof the Window-frame, with the sheave in a plane parallel to the Window in either application, of a projecting arm formed on said bracket and adapted to have secured thereto one end of a retaining-cord, substantially as described.

8. A winding-drum having closed ends and provided with means for securing a cord or cable thereto, said means comprising, an aperture formed through the shell of said drum of a size sufficient to permit the threading of the cord or cable therethrough, and a larger aperture formed through the shell of the drum opposite said first-named aperture, said cord or cable being passed through said apertures in the order named, knotted, and then drawn back through the larger aperture, thereby bringing.- the knot into engagement With the inner surface of the drum adjacent the smaller aperture, substantiallyT as described.

HERBERT M. STURGIS.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK C. GOODWIN, SAMUEL N. POND. 

